ORIGIN

Question of the Week: What Car Made You Love Cars?

Last Wednesday’s Question of the Week drew the most discussion yet, with well north of 200 replies to the query “What’s the Ideal All-Rounder?” A majority of readers think a fast German wagon or hatch could be just the ticket, with lots of votes for E63 AMG’s, Audi RS2‘s and VW Golf R’s, along with a good number of similar suggestions for various hot rod (factory or otherwise) Volvo and Subaru wagons.

All very logical, persuasive candidates, but the winner of this round of QotW floated an altogether more unconventional, exotic all-rounder:

“Mega was a sub-brand of parent company Aixam and the Mega Track was a sportscar/off-roader. They had a Mercedes V12, 4WD, & the ride height was adjustable up to a foot of ground clearance. They’re also huge, when you see them in photos alone they just look like a raised up car, when shown beside other cars & SUVs you then realize how big they are. Unfortunately they only made five. Sportscar looks, 400hp V12, off-road capabilities, all in one vehicle.”

From MichelV: “The Porsche 944/924 DP Cargo. Even featured on BaT some years ago (link).”

From Dr_Randy: “Easy, the LM002, the Rambo Lambo. Exceptionally capable off-road, luxurious, 0-60 in 7.7 secs with a Countach V12 and room for the kids. You will never see another on the road and if you do you can arrogantly ignore each other.”

From dbd: “My everyday car is a battered Ford Mustang convertible. It is, for me, the best all around car. I prefer all out sports cars but we have two dogs and three horses and that requires a vehicle with capacity; one can fit almost anything in a convertible (12 small square bales, two adults a whippet and a greyhound, an IKEA sofa, a wall’s worth of vinyl siding en route to the dump). I have a fair commute and so cannot run something that burns a lot of gas but, at the same time, do not want to die of boredom on the way to work, 300hp/30mpg is a workable compromise for me. We live in a two season climate. In one, the car is open with the radio on. In the other, it’s closed and the heated seats are a blessing. ‘Battered’ is key here, one cannot be too precious about a car that has to be tugged up the driveway with the tractor three times per winter.”

From Johnny16V: “Pretty sure we can all agree on the correct answer: the 1995 M5 Touring Elekta (link).”

And finally, from Frank: “I’ve got a rare 5-speed 2006 Outback XT (turbo). With some mostly-CA-legal mods I’m pushing 340 WHP–keep in mind this was a 5.0 second-to-60 mph car with 250 at the crank, right from the factory. It’s been lowered on Legacy GT suspension with a few other upgrades, rides pretty well, handles very well, and with a quiet, leather-lined interior, heated seats, a great stereo, and huge panoramic sunroof its like a grown-up STI. It’s very safe, has loads of room for the kids, dogs, and 8x4x4’s from the lumber store, looks really cool with its factory flares and big foglights (missing from the Legacy), and gets about 17 mpg everywhere, no matter how its driven.

OK, maybe that last point isn’t a good one, and eventually I’m sure to blow a ringland, but that’s what billet boost blocks are for. I’ve literally accelerated full-bore from a dead stop to about 80 right in front of unseen cops and never been pulled over. It’s the sleepiest, even low on Prodrive P1 wheels with a mild boxer rumble from the exhaust, and loud whoosing from the (stock, recirculating type) BOV.

So, uh, yeah–fourth-gen Legacy/Outback turbo wagon.”

This week’s question is a fundamental one, cutting right to the core of what it means to be an enthusiast–namely, what car made you love cars? Was it dad’s Triumph TR-something or other? A battered Hot Wheels toy? Herbie? The Knight Rider? A fire-spitting IMSA Audi? Your own first car? Let us know, and tune in next week to see if you’ve won the next $25 Gear Store gift certificate.